Danes Hill: New Parent Guide

Welcome to Danes Hill School! This page works as your quick-reference guide, designed to support you as new members of our school community. Here, you’ll find essential information to help you navigate your child’s experience with confidence and ease. Simply see each section to explore full details at your convenience.

OUR CORE PLATFORMS FOR SCHOOL LIFE

My School Portal (MSP)
This platform serves as your central hub for staying connected with the school. Here, you will receive all email communications, access the school calendar and key dates and find direct links to SOCS (which is explained below). It also provides access to school reports and allows you to book parent conference appointments, ensuring you have everything you need in one convenient place.

How to Access My School Portal:
Access: My School Portal Login
Select Reset Password to activate 

Troubleshooting:
If you struggle to set up My School Portal, you can watch this MSP video link or contact our School Secretary Sarah Anderson on sanderson@daneshillschool.co.uk. We also host MSP ‘Get Started’ sessions at the start of the school terms after drop-off.

SOCS Co-Curricular Portal
This platform is designed to support your child’s activities beyond the classroom. It enables club sign-ups and attendance tracking for pupils in Years 1–8, provides access to fixtures and team sheets for Years 3–8 and allows you to book wraparound care, helping you manage your child’s co-curricular schedule with ease. For September 2026, the activities timetable will be released during the summer holidays. Sarah Anderson will contact new families to support them in accessing the Autumn Term activities.

How to Access SOCS:
1. Login: SOCS Portal 
2. Activate your account using your registered email
3. Check spam/junk folder
4. Add safe senders:  noreply@misocs.com  AND parents@misocs.com  

Troubleshooting:
If you struggle to set up SOCS, you can follow our full SOCS instructions via this link or contact Sarah Anderson via the above email address.

WRAPROUND CARE (EARLY & LATE RAVENS)

Pre-Prep (Bevendean) operates from 7.30am to 6.00pm, while the Prep School runs from 7.15am to 6.00pm.

How to Book Wraparound Care:

You book Early and Late Ravens sessions via SOCS

More information and costs for Wraparound Care can be found here

SPORT AT DANES HILL

Our Approach
Every pupil, regardless of ability, will have the opportunity to participate in a range of sports, and develop their technique as well as teamwork, resilience, and leadership skills. We will strive for excellence in all aspects of our sporting programme, from training sessions through to national competitions. 

Fixtures & Teams
Information is shared via SOCS with team sheets published on Fridays for the week ahead and on Thursdays for weekend fixtures, and a calendar sync option also available.

Communication
Contact team coach first. Contact details are:
Head of Hockey: GJohnstone@daneshillschool.co.uk
Head of Football: CShaw@daneshillschool.co.uk
Head of Netball: EHearsum@daneshillschool.co.uk
Head of Rugby: KBates@daneshillschool.co.uk 
Head of Cricket: DPatel@daneshillschool.co.uk 
Head of Swimming: JBartley@daneshillschool.co.uk
Head of Athletics: GMorgan@daneshillschool.co.uk
Head of Skiing: HHanks@daneshillschool.co.uk 

Full Sports Portal link 

PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS (available from Year 2 onwards)

Our weekly schedule will now follow a rotating timetable, with lessons running from 8.30am to 4.30pm. This change is designed to reduce repeated missed lessons, ensure a fairer distribution of lesson slots, and increase overall availability. Timetables will be shared at the start of term, and feedback from the trial period will be collected to support future improvements. Music lessons cost £28 per lesson (subject to change in September 2026).

How to book:
Please contact Jack Fisher (Head of Music) on jfisher@daneshillschool.co.uk to register your interest.

He will provide a form for bookings on music lessons nearer September 2026.

LAMDA (DRAMA) LESSONS (available from Year 2 onwards)

LAMDA (Drama) lessons are available during school hours at a cost of £28 per 30-minute session (subject to change in September 2026) and take place weekly. Applications should be submitted at your earliest convenience, with places allocated on a first come, first served basis. The contract includes a notice period for discontinuing lessons (please confirm if one term’s notice is required). If your child is continuing, no action is needed.

How to book:
Please contact Louisa Graf (Head of Drama) on lgraf@daneshillschool.co.uk to register your interest.

She will provide a form for bookings on LAMDA lessons nearer September 2026.

QUICK LINKS

All pupils are required to obtain a laptop in Year 5 and above.
Please contact Mr Douthwaite on adouthwaite@daneshillschool.co.uk to obtain more information